You have an incredible team of individuals working at the Somersworth Professional Physical Therapy facility! Each person played a part in making my experience positive.
After experiencing jaw pain, my dentist recommended me for PT with Mike but I waited until my bite changed and pain increased. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for over 25 years with various trips to physical therapy and I was not thrilled at the thought of going to PT for my jaw. However, I am so glad that I did!
My initial visit with Mike consisted of a lot of conversation and questions. He also evaluated my physical strengths and weaknesses to develop an appropriate plan moving forward. As Mike worked on my jaw, I was also given exercises to improve neck strength. Little did I know that the jaw and neck were so closely related. Prior to seeing Mike, I was regularly wearing a neck brace for support. Since seeing Mike, I haven’t had to wear my brace. Yes, I still experience mild pain and discomfort, but with RA any joint on any given day can be painful.
Mike showed me how to position my jaw so that I don’t clench my teeth. This has been valuable in relieving jaw pain. He also gave me exercises to do at home but when I was unable to hold the band that he provided due to hand pain, he showed me Bodylastics, a product with handles, that could be purchased online. The fact that he listened to my struggles and problem solved a solution was much appreciated. In fact, when needed, Mike would adjust or explain how to do exercises if they were effecting other joints.
After completing the jaw therapy and getting such good results, I called my rheumatologist to see if I could get a referral for lower back pain. Once again, the therapy was helpful. After doing exercises in the gym, Mike emailed me an exercise program , discussed proper posture techniques and like before, listened to me and always answered questions. I asked a lot of questions as to why he was doing certain things or positioning me in certain ways. He had a knack of explaining exactly what and why he was doing and it made sense. I continue the home therapy program he provided and feel that my back and core have become stronger. I still experience some pain but not to the degree I had been. I’m sure it’s the effects of RA. I wish I had gone to Professional Physical Therapy years ago.
At the beginning, my insurance company was giving me different messages as to whether your Professional Physical Therapy facility was part of my plan. Finally, I just popped in to see if the Somersworth facility knew. Sarah pleasantly greeted me, listened and said that she would look into it. Within two hours, I had a voicemail from Sarah stating that I would be covered. She did not have to take the time to do that, but she did.
I also spent a lot of time with Sarah as she prepared the equipment, weights, and settings when completing my exercises in the gym. Not only was she doing that for me but on many occasions, there were multiple people working in the gym area. Sarah would also provide clarification of exercises, demonstrate the proper technique and give support on those “killer” exercises. When she wasn’t working with patients, she was cleaning stations or doing laundry. I don’t think I ever saw her sitting down!
I had the pleasure of having a physical therapy session with Terry when Mike was out one day. Obviously, there is a true team connection between Mike and Terry. Terry provided a session that mirrored what I had been doing with Mike. It was as if I had been working with her from the beginning. It was easy to talk with her and Terry always made a point of saying hi to every patient that entered the facility, whether you were her patient or not.
Brianna was always welcoming and helpful. I would be doing an exercise and tell her that I needed to schedule another appointment. She would ask my time and day preference and within minutes she would have an appointment scheduled. On a day when Sarah was out, Brianna helped in the gym with ease. She always brightened up my visits with her laughter.
Again, your Somersworth Professional Physical Therapy Team is caring, hardworking, and compassionate about their patients. They go above and beyond to welcome, assist and provide quality care. Each and everyone of them should be commended for their contributions in making your Somersworth facility top notch! I won’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone that needs PT!